Teachers in Scotland have received £650,000 compensation in the past year for illnesses caused by stress.
The Educational Institute of Scotland union (EIS) warned that stress should be taken more seriously, especially as one teacher received a six figure compensation sum for a stress injury.
Ministers in Scotland have said they expect Scottish councils to take action to minimise stress to teachers and lecturers.
Ronnie Smith, general secretary of the EIS, said: “The growth in the number of cases involving psychiatric injury and stress-related illness must be a warning to employers that they need to take account of their employees’ mental, as well as physical, wellbeing.
“The fact that this record compensation award arose from a workload-related case, which was compounded by a lack of management support, is no coincidence.”
According to the EIS, the teacher who was awarded a six figure compensation payout for stress had complained to superiors about their excessive workload. However, when no action was taken to reduce it, the teacher suffered a “stress-related, psychiatric injury”.
Other EIS members received personal injury compensation for being assaulted by pupils. One teacher received a payout of £1000 after pupils hit him in the side of the head while another received £1500 after being attacked by a pupil armed with a stick.
Another case saw a teacher who was exposed to asbestos develop mesothelioma.
A spokesman for the Scottish government said: “Work-related stress can take many forms and affect individuals in different ways.
“The Scottish government expects councils to take appropriate action at a local level to minimise the risk of stress or injury and any related claims through their own local health and safety procedures for staff and pupils.”
